Fred E. Hintz
Corporal Fred E. Hintz of Hutchings, Minnesota, served in the U.S. Army for just a short time before he was killed in action in France on October 7th, 1918. Hintz was born November 4th, 1894 to August and Emma Hintz. Fred was the oldest child in his family and the only one enlisted in the Army. He had one brother and one sister and spent a lot of time with his family.

Fred E. Hintz was twenty-one years old when he enlisted in the army. He spent three years training to go to war and finally his day came. Hintz was part of a couple different rosters. He was first, part of Company A, Infantry 127 of Marshfield; he stayed with Infantry 127 for his whole trip to France. When he enlisted it was exactly the time when the Mexican Border crisis happened. Until his death he was part of two other rosters; The U.S.S. George Washington, and the Trenches of Alsace.

When he was stationed on the U.S.S. George Washington, he and his fellow soldeirs were shipped out to France to join the trenches of Alsace. Hintz remained a corporal for the trip to France. He got off the ship in August, and he and the privates, lieutenants, sergeants, cooks and captain Frank Reigel made their way to the trenches of Alsace. Hintz was killed a couple of months later.

Hintz and the others made it to Alsace around early September. All of the soldiers made it except for a very few. Hintz was one of the brave ones and was one of the few who adapted to the environment quickly. On October 7th, 1918, Fred E. Hintz, was killed in battle at Alsace. Hintz will be remembered as he sacrificed his life so that Americans can live in peace. It is said that he "Died for the Stars and Stripes."

Connor Bretl, Student
East Junior High, Wisconsin Rapids

World War I was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne on June 28th, 1914. However the United States didn’t enter World War I until German Submarines threatened American commercial shipping in 1917. The United States entered World War I on April 6th, 1917, close to a year and a half before World War I came to a conclusion on November 11th, 1918.

America entered the war fighting on the side of the Allies, (United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia, Australia, Japan, Canada, and Italy). The Allies were fighting against the Central Powers, (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria). All in all close to 9 million soldiers lost their lives fighting for their country.

The pressure to fight was building up in America. Wood County released that pressure with Company “A” of the 127th infantry formed in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Of the men in Company “A”, was Fred E. Hintz, born on November 4th, 1983 to a Mr. and Mrs. August Hintz of Marshfield, Wisconsin. Hintz was said to be a member of Company “A” during the Mexican border trouble.

According to the Wood County Veterans Project, Company “A” of the 127th infantry responded to President Woodrow Wilson’s call by going to the Mexican Border. They were then mobilized at Camp Douglas and soon sent to Camp McArthur in Waco, Texas. While at these camps Company “A” had been trained and equipped to go overseas. The company left the camp on January 21, 1918 for Camp Merritt, in New Jersey, the last of the camps before being sent to fight. This was one of the better camps, with a good mess hall, good beds, and plenty of heat and light.

Company “A” was just waiting for the go ahead to be shipped overseas. Company “A” of the 127th infantry was finally shipped out on February 18th at 10:30 p.m. on the U.S.S. George Washington for Brest, France. They arrived in Brest harbor on March 4th, 1918 at 3:30 a.m. From there, Company “A” was transported to Camp Genicart where they trained until they were sent to Courcelles. They learned much of trench warfare and specialty weapons at Courcelles. Company “A” started fighting in the trenches of Schonholz Sector on June 9th.

Through all of the fighting everything seemed to be going well for Fred Hintz. Until Company “A” made its way into Gesnes, France at the beginning of October, when the real trench warfare started up. On the morning of October 5th, 1918, the company advanced 2 kilometers and that night went into support. Company “A” started their heavy attacking for days, when on October 7th, 1918, in the mix of all the attacking Fred E. Hintz was killed in action in Verdun.

The Marshfield Times November 20th, 1918 had a passage on Fred E. Hintz. Word has been received last Wednesday of the death of Corporal Fred Hintz who was killed in action in France October 7th. He was a member of Co. A at the time of the Mexican border trouble. The dead hero was born in this city Nov. 4th. 1983 and was the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. August Hintz.

He is survived by his mother, one sister, Mrs. R. C. Krause, and one brother, Paul, of this city. Fred E. Hintz is an American hero of many, who deserves to be written about by many. His contributions to this great nation are cherished, and will be cherished for many years to come.

Nick Barber
East Junior High School